The invention relates to a thruster body of a solid propellant engine, in particular for a launcher or a missile.
Such a thruster body comprises a casing for containing the propellant and that is subjected to a high degree of internal pressure while the engine is in operation, the casing sometimes also being referred to as a pressure vessel. The casing as has a central portion or shroud that is substantially cylindrical and that is extended at its ends by a front end wall and a rear end wall that are formed integrally with the shroud. The casing is typically formed by filament winding on a mandrel using a carbon filament preimpregnated in resin, e.g. epoxy resin. Thermal protection and optionally a liner may be provided on the inside of the casing.
Front and rear polar bases facilitate filament winding at the end walls and they are used for mounting a thruster igniter and a nozzle.
Front and rear skirts are fastened on end portions of the shroud and they surround the front and rear end walls, at least in part. The skirts enable the engine to be incorporated in a vehicle (launcher or missile), to transmit thrust forces to the vehicle, and to take up stresses coming from the vehicle.
A difficulty encountered when fabricating such a thruster body lies in achieving good assembly between the casing and the skirts, in particular on a thruster body of large diameter having a casing that presents inevitable irregularities of shape.